Two veterans of transportation industry financing have joined forces to form a new San Diego-based investment advisory firm.
Ernie Dahlman and David Rohal’s new venture, Dahlman Rohal & Associates, will specialize in ground transportation, energy and infrastructure.
The two were formerly with Pacific Imperial Railroad, an entity attempting to resume operation of the Arizona Eastern Railway line that runs from San Diego into Mexico and back into the U.S. ending in Plaster City, Calif.
Dahlman co-founded the financial advisory firm Dahlman Rose & Co., which facilitated about 120 transactions including Southwest Airlines’ $1.3 billion purchase of Air-Tran Airways.
Rohal has had management positions at more than 100 railroads including CSX Corp. (NYSE: CSX), Genesee and Wyoming Inc. (NYSE: GWR), RailAmerica, Florida East Coast Railway and Patriot Rail Company LLC.
The two met while at Pacific Imperial Railroad, which they left in February to form their own organization, according to a press statement.
“We have combined our diverse talents to create a cohesive force for pursuing large, complex projects that often have multiple stakeholders with different objectives. An early focus of ours will be unlocking stranded value in the Cali-Baja mega region,” Rohal said.
